Kingsdale School

Background
Kingsdale School is a multicultural mixed secondary school of about 1100 boys and girls covering the complete ability range. This Multimedia School of Academic, Creative and Vocational Studies is located at Alleyn Park , Dulwich in the London Borough of Southwark.

Provision of High Quality Information and Computer Technology Systems

The Problem
Kingsdale School is engaged in a phased programme of developing its ICT facilities to provide ready access for all its students to high quality Information and Computer Technology systems. The programme provides for a very substantial level of investment over a number of years.

The Challenge
The challenge was to launch the School Works £13million educational enhancement programme with a prestigious project.

"Our desire was to design and install an optimum computer system with the latest ICT technology that would enrich teaching and learning opportunities at Kingsdale School. A further aim was to develop a flexible learning space to be used by different curriculum subjects and different classes in a variety of ways to create a blueprint for future designs in schools"

The Solution
Education Rentals has provided a flexible facility that funds each phase of the ICT project. Within each phase, the Education Rentals facility provides for stage payments to be made to the contractors. The availability of funding from Education Rentals has enabled students to benefit from improved ICT facilities at an earlier date than would otherwise have been possible. The funding also enables the financial management of the school's budget to be controlled more easily by the cost of the ICT investment being spread over time that will be matched by the revenue received from Government.

The Result
"The opening of our new ICT centre marks the completion of the first phase of a pioneering programme to radically remodel Kingsdale School.

The ICT suite opens up a whole new world for pupils in terms of access to educational resources. Pupils can use the technology to do anything from seeing and speaking to other people across the globe including making contact with US space-body NASA to accessing various sites and designated work areas from home 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The suite boasts over 90 state of the art computers and whiteboards that allow images on one computer to be shown to the entire class and video conferencing facilities. Other features include a dedicated ICT room for Science Curriculum software, moveable walls that allow space to be used creatively, research areas with wireless facilities and an E-learning area. A video editing facility will be incorporated into the area shortly."

Steve Morrison, Headteacher of Kingsdale School commented: "The funding from Education Rentals has enabled a substantial investment in ICT facilities at an early date and within the budget constraints under which we must operate"